


Deep End

by Rayvenwolfe



Series: Omegaverse Jurassic World [5]
Category: Jurassic Park (Movies), Jurassic Park - All Media Types, Jurassic World (2015)
Genre: Alpha Jackson Whittemore, Alpha Owen Grady, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Dancing, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Fluff, I swear!, Jackson is still kind of a dick but a sweet one, M/M, Omega Danny Mahealani, Omega Verse, Omega Zach Mitchell, Wedding, Zaras gettin' Married Y'all!, characters from another fandom, discussion of being attacked/rape, it wasn't me, love that song, not graphic, seriously its so cute, someone brings up the news is all, they wrote themselves into the story, title taken from the song Aquaman by Walk The Moon, which shows up in the last chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-20
Updated: 2016-07-20
Packaged: 2018-07-25 10:52:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7529872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rayvenwolfe/pseuds/Rayvenwolfe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Current events, a wedding, and talks about moving in together. Pretty much just 5 chapters that kind of go to together that I decided to post. Probably not that good but if you've liked the series so far go ahead and have a read. Don't think you'll be able to read this without reading the others first, but you can try.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Zach! Gray!" Karen Mitchell yelled as she walked into the house, dropping her keys in the bowl by the table and placing the mail next to it. Taking off her coat, her eyes kept straying to the fancy letter on the top of the pile. It was addressed to both of her sons and was obviously a wedding invitation. "Boys!" Picking up the invite and leaving all of the other mail by the door, Karen went in search of her wayward sons. 

She checked the kitchen (because boys) and not seeing them, moved to go upstairs and check their rooms. She stopped just by the doorway to the living room when she heard laughter come from the backyard. Karen paused and turned around, her eyes catching sight of her children in the backyard. She was slightly surprised to see them rough housing outside like when they were younger, before Zach presented and became...well, moody.

Ever since _the incident,_ her precious little monkies had become closer. Gray was more outgoing and didn't always have his nose in a book now. He still loved all things dinosaurs, which she was surprised about, but as long as he only studied them through books and the internet she was fine with it. Zach seemed much more relaxed too. Happier, less moody, and more open. Willing to tell them things now and not just go to his room and lock himself away. 

_That probably had more to do with Owen than anything_ , she thought, smiling softly to herself as she went out the backdoor. Sitting herself down on one of the four patio chairs she waited for her sons to notice her. After a minute, when they still hadn't seen her waiting, she cleared her throat to get their attention, "Boys." All struggling ceased and both her boys stopping their squirming, eyes wide and sheepish half-smiles slowly forming on their faces. 

"He-ey mom. Welcome home." Gray said as he pushed Zach up and off of him. Her eldest fell over onto his back in the grass as her youngest scrambled to his feet and claimed the chair next to her for himself. He had some grass in his hair and a few stains on his shirt that she'd probably have a hard time getting out, but it was worth it for the smile he had on his face. Zach let out a big breath before he joined them, sitting next to Gray and across from his mother. 

She smiled at him, "I thought the days of making your brother eat dirt were over?"

"I was winning!" Gray said indignantly but Zach just smirked, "Sometimes he needs to be reminded that I'm older and therefore wiser."

"Are not!"

"Am too."

Before it could really start up Karen held up her hand with the invitation. "Care to tell me what this is?"  
"Mail." Zach deadpanned.

Karen gave a laugh-less chuckle, "Ha-ha. Yes, thank you, I know." She slid the invitation to Zach, "Why are you and Gray getting invited to a wedding?"

Zach and Gray looked at each other confused before the Omega flipped the envelope over and broke the fancy wax seal. He pulled out a heavy card-stock picture with a bit of yellow ribbon tied around it. Immediately he recognized the smiling face of a very pretty brunette Beta who was being held in the arms of a rather handsome woman. "Oh! It's from Zara."

"Really?"Gray smiled and leaned over. Zach turned the picture just enough so that Gray could see it.

He took the ribbon off and two smaller cards fell on top of the glass table. Both were RSVP cards; one with his name and one with Gray's. Zach turned the picture in his hands and saw that it served as both the engagement photo and invitation. Inviting Zach, Gray, and one guest each to the wedding of Zara Kearney and Mikayla McGrath. 

"Why would Claire's assistant be sending you a wedding invite?"

Zach went to answer but Gray beat him to it, "Remember when I told you how we outran the Pteranadons?!"

"Pteranadons?"

"Big Flying dinosaurs." Zach supplied, while making a flapping motion with his hands.

"O-kay, yes I do."

"Well we found Zara before we found Aunt Claire and Owen and she almost got taken by one of them."

"Wait, she's the woman who you guys saved?"

"Yeah!" Gray beamed at his mother, "Zach and I snatched her right from their grasp!" He made a snatching motion in the air and gave her a smug look. 

Karen smiled fondly at her youngest son, "Well, then that's why she invited you." The Beta got up and rounded the table and wrapped her right arm around Zach and her left around Gray, "Without my two big strong boys she wouldn't be getting married at all and would be getting digested instead."

She leaned forward and gave both boys multiple wet kisses on their cheeks. 

"Mo-oom!" "Not cool!" Zach and Gray tried to squirm away but Karen had a tight mothers hold on them as she covered their faces in her lipstick. "My brave babies!"

"No more!" "Gross!" "Help! Mom germs!" Zach was able to pull away but Gray, poor Gray, he was caught in the clutches of their mothers arms being smothered and smooched to death. "Zach! Help! Come on!"

Zach just stuck his hands in his pockets and made for inside the house, "Sometimes you just have to make sacrifices Gray."

"No. Zaaach!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of Omegas being attacked/raped, but just from the news. I swear nothing bad will happen to Zach in this one.

That night during dinner, Zach brought up the wedding, "So about the wedding?"

His dad almost choked on the piece of chicken he was chewing and Zach had to hide his smile behind his hand. "Wedding!" Scott said. Karen and Gray laughed at the devastated slash horrified look on Scott's face. "What wedding!?"

Karen cut into her chicken and smiled, taking pity on her husband, "Zach and Gray were invited to a wedding today." 

Scott let out a relieved breath and then scowled at his eldest son and pointed at him with his fork. "That wasn't funny."

Gray giggled and Zach smirked, "It was a little."

"Whose wedding? Do we know them?"

"The boys do. That woman they saved from the-what were they again Zach?" 

"Big flying dinosaurs." He made the flappy motion again and his mother smiled at his miming.

Scott took a drink of his wine and asked, "When is it? Where is it? and do you want to go?"

"In a few months. Beginning of November, I think the invitation said. In Baltimore. I think it'd be fun." Zach said.

"I don't know if I do. Maybe...I mean there'll be free food and cake, but weddings are so boring and long. It said I could bring a guest too. Who would I even take?" Gray let out a put upon sigh and Zach rolled his eyes, "Dorkbrain, you don't even have to go if you don't want too and if you do then you don't have to take anyone or if you want, you can always bring mom."

Karen's eyes lit up and Zach smirked at the face Gray made.

"Does this mean if you decide to go Owen's going to come down?" Scott asked. This time Gray's eyes lit up, "If Owen goes I'll go! I'll even take mom!"

Zach laughed before taking a bite. "How in love with him are you?"

Gray took a green bean from his plate and tossed it at his brother, hitting the Omega in the forehead, "I'm not in love with Owen! He's just really cool."

"Don't throw food at your brother." Scott scolded. 

"Well, you have about a month before you have to RSVP to decide. Will you be able to get out of classes for it?"

Zach got up and grabbed the invite from the cork board near the fridge, sitting back down as he looked over the specifics. "Yeah. I only have Psychology on the Friday before and no classes for two days after that, so we can all drive to up together. It will only take a few hours. I have Child Development and Economics on that Monday though. I'll have to get any reading assignments before I leave and let my Professors know, but it should be alright." He took a drink of his water as he sat back down, "Besides if Claire told Owen anything about her leaving for a wedding he might come down anyways."

"Any chance he gets he comes down. That man is ridiculously in love with you." 

Scott jabbed at his potatoes and green beans and grumbled at his wife's statement, still sulking about his son's mate who was old enough to be his Uncle or Cousin or something. "Still surprised you two haven't called it quits. You hardly see each other."

"They talk all the time though." Gray supplied.

"Scott it's almost been a year. You should just accept it already."

"Yeah, dad. Zach's even been looking at apartments for them." Gray said, thinking he was helping his older brother, but really he was just tying him to the post for the firing squad. 

"Gray! I knew you were going through my things you little-" 

"Apartments!" Forks clattered onto plates and Zach winced at the sound. He looked at his parents sheepishly. Scott wiped his mouth with his napkin, took an even bigger drink of his wine and pegged Zach with a look that gave the Omega goosebumps. "Explain."

The tone told Zach that he probably wasn't going to get out of this conversation alive and he laughed awkwardly while he rubbed at the back of his neck, "Well, it's just research. I have to save up a bit of money still before I can do anything but yeah. I was thinking about moving out. Getting my own place. Owen probably wouldn't even be able to live with me cause he still hasn't found his Raptors yet, but he'd stay with me when he came to town. It's no big deal really." Zach shrugged his shoulders.

"It is a big deal Zach." Scott said.

"No, its not. If this is about Owen--"

"No. Zach...it's not that." The older Beta let out a sigh and ran a hand over his face before looking over at his wife, his worry reflected in her own eyes. "Have you seen the news lately?"

Zach gave him a questioning look, "No but what does that have to do with me getting an apartment?"

Karen spoke up, "Everything." She looked over at Zach, "Zach...there's someone who's...they've been...they're targeting unmated Omegas. Omegas who live alone. There have been six attacks already."

"So far." 

Karen gave her husband a sharp look.

Zach's eyes widened slightly, "But no one in any of my classes have said anything. Not the teachers or the students."

"They've been happening all around the state. The police just confirmed that they're all random Omega victims, but connected and done by the same person."

"Wait. If you guys are so worried why didn't you say anything before?"

"The attacks were nowhere near here Zach. They were all in cities more north but now there's a chance they could be on the way here. The police made a formal statement on the news and in the paper. They said any unmated Omegas that live alone should be very cautious of who they trust and be more aware of their surroundings. They even suggested them staying with family. This... _person_ is attacking Omegas in every city the go to and then leaving. If we're lucky they'll catch them before they come here, but I don't think it'd be a good idea for you to live alone until then."

Zach moved his food around his plate listlessly, "What if they're never caught though?" He looked up, his eyes catching those of his parents. "I can't just live here for forever."

Gray, who had been quietly eating his food said, "What if Owen could live with Zach? Owen wouldn't let anything happen to him."

Karen and Scott looked at each other, "I'd still worry about you. I'm your mother, it's my official job to worry, but I think we'd both feel better about you moving out if Owen was with you or at least a roommate."

His dad looked like he still wanted to protest the very idea of Owen even living in the same state as his son. "You and Owen living together isn't something I want to think about, but he did keep you safe on the Island and it'd be a more ideal situation than you living alone while this is going on. Or like your mother said, a roommate, so at least there's someone else there in case something happened. It's either those or you're staying here."

Zach scowled and mumbled at his plate, "It's not right."

"What?"

"It's not right and it's not fair. Just because I'm an Omega and some pervert--" 

"Don't fight me on this Zach! I'm your father and I say that you are **NOT** getting an apartment while this lunatic is going around raping Omegas. Understood?" Scott Mitchell took a deep breath and stabbed a piece of his chicken violently and shoved it in his mouth. The air in the room grew awkward and tense at the outburst from the normally laid-back Beta Father.

"No." Nobody moved. 

"What did you say?" Scott said.

"I said no." His eyes now on his fathers, Zach practically shouted, "It is not _understood_!" 

Gray's eyes were wide and round in disbelief and Karen was just as surprised. Her eldest son never having truly ever spoken back like this. 

"You two were perfectly okay with sending Gray and I to an Island inhabited by giant meat-eating dinosaurs that used to be extinct expecting that nothing bad could happen! I saw people die! _We_ almost died!...I didn't have an Alpha then and you must have forgotten when Gray told you, but we made it out of that jungle without any help. Without an Alpha there to protect us. Yeah, Owen was there for the rest of it and yes, he did an amazing job of making sure we were all safe then, but it was Gray and I who saved our own skins."

"And Zara's!" Gray piped up. 

Zach gave his brother a small smile, "That's right, we saved Zara, _a Beta_ , might I add. A Beta who, according to you and the rest of the world, should have been the one saving us." Zach added sarcastically, "Another Beta to young for much of anything and a poor weak frail Omega." He leveled a look at both of his parents. "If there was ever a time to be an over-protective parent it would have been then. Even though I met Owen through that...through what happened it was still a lousy call on your part to let us go to that Island."

Zach got up and tossed his napkin over his plate. His eyes stared unflinchingly into his fathers, "If this guy sees me and decides to come after me then let him because I was done being scared of monsters when I left Jurassic World. I'm not going to roll over anymore. I'm done with that and if I want to move into my own apartment, _by myself,_ then I will." 

With that Zach turned and walked out of the room, leaving his plate half full and his chair empty. They heard him run upstairs and his door close. His mother, expecting him to slam it, was gratefully surprised when he didn't.

Scott let out a frustrated breath and tossed his own napkin onto the table. He leaned back in his chair for a minute before grabbing up his plate and dumping the rest of his food in the trash. His plate clattered in the sink as he tossed it carelessly, any more force and it would have broken to pieces.

"Gray...honey, why don't you go and eat the rest of your dinner in the living room?"

Gray shook his head, "No. I'm not hungry anymore anyways."

"Okay baby." Karen smiled at him and he gave her a little tilt of his own lips before clearing both his and Zach's dish before retreating upstairs to his room. 

The red-headed Beta looked over to her husband and saw him leaning against the kitchen-island, arms crossed and face turned down in bitterness at what had just happened.

"Scott."

At his wife's soft call of his name he moved from his place in the kitchen and took up Gray's seat across from her. She reached her hand out across the table and he took it in his own, his thumb rubbing over her knuckles.

"He's not wrong." Karen said.

Scott nodded his head, but didn't look at his wife. His eyes staying focused on their hands and he sighed, "I know, but I can't just...Karen, he _can't_ be by himself out there. Not now."

"I know. I feel the same way. I don't want him to go, but he'll do it anyways regardless of what we want. He pretty much just said so. So as I see it we have two ways to approach this."

He looked up then at his wife, "What's that?"

"We go to Home Depot and buy tons of chains and locks and lock him away in the basement until this guy is caught." Scott smiled and chuckled, "Or?"

"...or we trust our son to be able to look after himself like we did when we sent them away. We give him our blessing to go and live on his own and hope that no one else is attacked. That he isn't attacked."

Scott dropped his head onto their hands, "I still don't want to let him do it."

"Me either, but can you think of any other way we can?" 

Scott shook his head and they sat at the kitchen table for about ten minutes in silence before Karen perked up slightly. "Oh! Wait! I think I just thought of something. A way to give us some peace of mind and let Zach have some independence. I can't believe I didn't realize it before!" She squeezed Scott's hand and he looked up at his wife's excited face and smiled, "Lay it on me beautiful."

Zach was laying on his bed, phone to his ear as he ranted to Owen about everything that had happened down-stairs, "I'm not weak. **I'm not!** Not anymore." He ran his hand over his eyes, anger and frustration making him start to cry a bit.

_"I know that and they know that, they're just letting worry take over babe. I can't say I wouldn't be the same with our kids."_

Zach smiled and he turned onto his side, "Yeah, but at least you would talk it out and not just forbid them from whatever it was."

_"I might, but who can really say...Zach, I can see where your parents are coming from and I'm not going to lie, it worries me too. The thought of you possibly getting jumped by some dick-hole just..." Owen let out a deep breathe over the line, "I ever tell you about how I felt during the whole Jurassic World incident?"_

"During?"

_"Yeah. About how I felt while looking for you?"_

Zach shook his head, "No. When I saw you with Aunt Claire I just thought you two had met up on Main Street. You were looking for us?"

_"Yeah. Claire, she came to me when you guys went missing on the Gyrospheres. Told me her nephews had gone missing and told me your names and I lost it inside. I grabbed Claire and dragged her off to search for you two. My heart never stopped pounding and when I saw the Gyrosphere you guys were in...shattered and bloodied, I felt useless and terrified and angry. I thought eventually I would be walking around looking for body parts and then I tracked you to the waterfall. When I realized that you guys had jumped off and when I heard that old jeep pull away I knew that you were different. Strong. Zach, we had only met a couple hours before, there was no way I could know you would be like that. So resourceful that you could get away from a dinosaur of that much power unscathed. I knew you weren't a stereotypical Omega then, but I was still scared for you Zach."_

Zach closed his eyes at that because it was one of the many thoughts he had had when they were being chased. The I-Rex ripping them to shreds because he failed and wasn't quick enough.

_"In those moments looking for you I was the basest part of an Alpha. The part that believed you wouldn't survive without me there because you were an Omega. I'm not ashamed to admit that I was wrong, but I couldn't stop myself from thinking it. Just like your parents right now. They're at that place where I was and it's probably a bigger feeling for them because you're theirs. You came from them and if anything happened to you while they could've prevented it it would eat away at them with guilt and self-hate. I know that because that's how I would've felt if anything had happened to you on that Island."_

"What am I supposed to do then? I can't just not do anything because you guys are afraid for me. I don't want to be one of those people Owen. I don't want to be that kind of Omega."

Before Owen could answer there was a knock on Zach's door, "Hold on Owen. Come in."

Zach sat up against the headboard, his hand tightening on his phone briefly as his parents walked in. They were holding hands, a united front, Zach let his head fall back against the headboard and sighed. This probably wasn't going to go any better than earlier.

"Can you talk?" His father nodded his head at Zach's cell phone.

"I'm talking to Owen and we only get--" His father interrupted, "We'll only be a few minutes. Your Mother and I have come up with a way where we're all happy if you're willing to consider it."

"What is it?"

"We'll let you live on your own if you you'd be willing to take some self-defense classes. They've started up some classes designed specifically for Omegas at this gym downtown. We think that if you had some training to better defend yourself we'd feel better about you staying by yourself, but you have to finish the class before you can move out. It's that or you stay here until we feel it's safer out there for you."

Zach didn't know what he was expecting but it wasn't that and he looked at his parents, "Really? That's it?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Yeah. Yes, I'll do it." Zach said with a smile.

"Good. You and I will go and sign you up for the classes tomorrow. " His mother chirped, smile on her face. "We'll let you get back to lover-boy."

"Wait. I...I was talking to Owen and he said...well, anyways I'm sorry for earlier." He cast his eyes down and rubbed his thumb over the back of his cell. "I shouldn't have gotten so angry when you guys were just trying to do what you thought was right for me."

Karen walked over to the bed and sat down, taking her son's hand, "I'm sorry too. You were completely right with everything you said. We shouldn't have sent you both to that Island and we shouldn't have treated you like you were fragile because you're far from it. It's just...it's hard not to worry. After everything."

"I know."

She smiled, leaned forward and kissed his forehead, "You have an afternoon class tomorrow right?"

He nodded. "Then we'll go bright and early in the morning to get you squared away okay?"

"Okay."

"Good."

She kissed him on the forehead again and moved back over to the door, "Night. Say hi to Owen for us."

"From your mother." Karen elbowed her husband in the side. "From both of us then."

Zach laughed as his parents walked out of his room and brought his cell back up to his ear, "Still there?"

_"Yup and I heard everything. Your parents are pretty smart."_

"Yeah, I guess."

_"So what's your excuse?"_

"Hey!"

Owen laughed over the line. _"Claire's already booked her ticket for the wedding. She's just going to fly in directly. I'll talk to Masrani Jr. see if I can't come down a few days before that. I'll call you when I know for sure what days I'll be in town."_  


"Sounds good." Sigh. "I can't wait to see you again. It's been months."

_"65 days and about...13 hours actually."_

"Liar. You're not counting."

_"Are you doubting me?"_

"Yes. Yes I am because you're ridiculous and no one ever really counts the days."

_"That may be but you'll find that if you go back and count from the last day we saw each other, I am in fact doing precisely that."_

Zach rolled his eyes and got up to go look at his calendar. "Do I get a prize for calling you out in your lie?" He flipped back and found the date Owen arrived with a circle around it and moved his finger down a few days to the one x-ed out. Tucking his cell between his ear and shoulder he counted until he hit today's date and a slow smile spread over his face. "Unreal. I can't believe you are actually counting the days."

_"Boom! Told you."_

Zach's heart thumped quicker in his chest and he leaned his head against the wall, "Owen..."

_"I know. Me too, Zach."_

He smiled and moved back from the wall, wiping at his eyes with his free hand before any more tears decided to fall. 

_"How much longer till I have to give you over to the sandman?"_

The Omega moved back to his bed and sat down. "I can stay up for another few hours."

_"Good. So...what are you wearing?"_

Zach laughed and fell back onto his bed in happiness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Owen is a Harry Potter nerd...totally.

There was only a little over a week left until Zara's wedding and Zach had been pretty busy between classes, work, and the self-defense course. He had only been able to talk to Owen a handful of times. Sometimes he was even too tired to do that and fell asleep with Owen's voice on the other end. He didn't want to count the number of times he had woken to his cell phone under his pillow, on the floor, or clutched in his hand. A text was always waiting for him though when he woke, usually something silly and completely Owen. 

Right now he had some rare down time before dinner and so Zach was spending it laying on his stomach in bed, laptop open in front of him and an annoyed expression on his face as he looked at apartment listings. He was trying and failing to find an apartment that was affordable and near his college, work, and his parents house (because moms). He was about to give up and maybe just resign himself to giving in and staying at his parents for a little while longer when his phone's text alert went off next to him.

He grabbed his phone from next to the computer and smiled when he saw he had one new text from Owen. He opened the message and instead of some cheesy one-liner or weird random fact (as Owen was prone to doing whenever he was bored) there was a link to a renter's sight. Zach put the phone in front of him and opened a new tab. He typed the web address in and only had to wait half a second before a beautiful house popped up onto the screen. The Omega's eyes widened in surprise and he scrolled down to look at the details. The house was a two story brick home with a basement. The whole home had been turned into three separate apartments. One of which was open to be seen and available to be rented, fully furnished. 

The nineteen year old clicked through some pictures they had posted of the apartment for rent and fell even more in love with it.

The upper floor apartment, with stairs leading to it from the outside and a tough looking security door, was the one for rent. He clicked _'Next'_ and saw his first full picture of the apartment as a whole. It was an open floor plan with two good sized windows letting in just enough light. 

He clicked again.

A picture of the kitchen popped up. It looked small and was off to one side. A new-looking fridge, stove, and a dishwasher took up most of the kitchen. The counter space was gracious as well for a smaller space, but it looked like it was half counter/half island. Two bar stools stood by and were pushed under the rim of the island counter. A microwave was mounted over the stove and next to one of the cabinets. 

He could see Owen burning popcorn in this kitchen while he laughed and waited on the sofa with the television playing in background. A smile slowly formed on his face at the thought of Owen waving his hands and trying to clear smoke away as he coughed over the smell of burnt kernels. 

**_Next._ **

It was a picture from inside the small kitchen. Showing how the living room was set up in relation to the cooking area. You could see the television from the island in the kitchen and see the kitchen from the couch. 

**_Next._** A closer picture of the living room. 

The couch wasn't huge, but it could fit three people and the television was a good size for the space. A small fluffy looking area rug was on the floor between the two. One of the windows was perpendicular to the couch and TV. The sun making a square pattern on the wood flooring and rug.

An image of two bodies snuggled on the couch came to mind. Zach tucked in under Owens arm and Owen's legs stretched out in front of him. The older man's toes curling in and out of the rug a few times as his hand rubbed up and down Zach's back. Both of them drifting off together on the couch. 

There was a partition, directly behind the couch, that blocked off the bed from the rest of the room to give a bit of privacy. So you could move the partition and watch television from bed if you wanted or put it up to separate you from, let's say, an annoying little brother who might be staying over for the night. 

Zach chuckled at what Gray might do to annoy him an Owen if he did stay over and unsurprisingly, in his mind, it turned into an impromptu pillow fight.

 ** _Next._** The bedroom.

It looked like it was bigger than the living area and the kitchen, but only by a a few feet or so. It housed a bed and a dresser. A metal bar, that ran the length of the wall, was mounted above the dresser and had a few hangers hanging off of it. That was nice. A spot for his nicer work shirts and slacks because all his jeans and t-shirts could just be put in the dresser along with Owen's. The bed looked like a Queen size, but with pictures it was hard to tell. It sat near to the other window and you could just see a bit of the view that wasn't being blocked out by a rather large old tree. The picture had been taken during the day to showcase the room and the tree cast a shadow over the blanket on the bed.

Owen's body suddenly manifested, laid out on the bed in nothing but his boxer-briefs and a smirk, his eyebrows waggling. Zach felt his cheeks redden at the thought. 

He could see Owen sleeping with him. The morning light casting over them as they lay together, waking them up in the mornings. Maybe Owen would even let Zach finally share his heat with the Alpha. He could see himself above Owen. Riding him until the older man came undone and his knot lodged itself inside him. Collapsing on top of Owens chest and running his fingers through the older man's chest hair. Connected to his Alpha in the most intimate of ways.

 _'Come and Get Your Love'_ suddenly started blaring from his phone, causing Zach to jump in surprise. His face was burning as he fumbled to answer the call. Knowing that Owen would be on the other-side of the receiver and considering the thoughts he had just been imagining had him stuttering out a, "Hey." 

_"Did you get the link?"_ Owen sounded excited and Zach could just picture the older man's face with a wide smile that lit up his whole face. This had Zach smiling and sitting up so he was now cross-legged in the middle of the bed. He pulled his laptop onto his lap, "I got the link."

_"What do you think?"_

"It looks small, but I could see myself there."

 _"I can too and I checked it out. Well, not physically, but it meets your list. It's ten minutes from your work, a half an hour from the College, and about an hour or so from your parent's house."_

"Really?!" Zach felt a little embarrassed that he had fallen in love with the place without even checking it out first. He scrolled down and read the location. 

It was in the nicer part of town, located near a park and, to Zach's delight, Owen was right. It did meet his requirements for travel time. 

He scrolled down a little more and then he saw the cost of rent and groaned. He knew it was too good to be true. "Owen?"

_"Yeah Honey-bun?"_

Zach rolled his eyes, "That nickname will not fly _Cuddle-Bunny_. Did you happen to see the cost of rent? It's more than I can afford if I actually plan on eating."

_"No it's not."_

"Uhm, yes it is."

_"No it isn't. Not if I help out."_

Zach paused, "Owen. We talked about this. I don't want you to help me pay for an apartment if you aren't going to share it with me."

_"Well, see that's the thing...in a few months I might be."_

Zach's mind went blank for the second it took to register his Alpha's words and when he did he fell backwards on the bed, his head just barely missing the headboard. His laptop fell off of his lap and flipped back so the screen was facing up, "Are you serious!?"

 _"Sirius Black."_ His Alpha said with a smile in his voice.

"Nerd. So does that mean you found them?"

 _"Found them and are trying to get them settled. My girls put up one hell of a fight. We still have to fix a few loose ends and I'm not officially going to be quitting. I'm just kind of on on-call for when they have serious security problems or need help with new paddocks and crap like that. Claire and Masrani are the only ones allowed to call me when they need my expertise. Barry is going to take over."_

"So what you're saying is that in a few months we'll be playing house in that apartment and I'll get to see you all the time?"

 _"Yup. Granted they don't rent the apartment out before I can make it down. I want us both to see it, make sure we both like it in person before we decide...You know, I plan on being a regular little house-wife. Cooking, cleaning, warming your bed."_ Owen said with an obvious leer in his voice.

Zach could practically hear the Alpha's eyebrows wiggle, "Finally. I can keep you barefoot and bare-chested in the kitchen where you belong. Baking me pies and making me sandwiches all day."

Owen laughed, _"Anything you want."_

"I'll bookmark the page and keep track of it until you get here."

 _"No, that's okay Zach. If I get down there and it's been rented then it wasn't meant to be. We'll just look for something else in the few days I have after we get back from the wedding. Masrani wants me back as soon as possible."_ He sighed. _"Since we found Blue and Delta they've been cracking the whip even more on us to get everything up and ready. I'm only staying till my girls are golden and the predator paddocks are up to par. We are not going to have another I-rex situation."_

"You hope."

_"Claire and I have already told them off about the hybrid mutations and good thing is Masrani's son agrees. Clearly he has more sense than his dad did."_

"He's a Beta, right? They're usually more level-headed about things and don't really have that need to do things better than other Alphas like his father tried to do." 

_"What are you trying to say about Alphas Zach?"_

"Well, not all Alphas do that. Obviously you're the exception to the rule." 

_"You know it....Just like you're not like any Omega I've ever met."_

Zach was glad Owen was thousands of miles away so he couldn't see the blush making it's way over his face. 

_"You're blushing aren't you."_

Zach turned even redder, "Shut up." 

The Alpha chuckled over the other end of the line. Another voice, desperate sounding, cut through the receiver and Zach tried to make out who it was but couldn't, "What's wrong?" Owen didn't answer but said something to whomever was with him. Zach waited for a minute before Owen's voice came back on the line, _"I have to go Zach. There's some kind of emergency. I'll be there in a few days."_

"Okay. Be careful." 

__"Always."_ _

The line went dead and Zach pulled the phone away from his ear to look at it. A little worried now and wondering what was going on over at the island. 

_A few hours later, after dinner, as he was loading the dishwasher, his text alert sounded on his phone. Grabbing it from his pocket, he tapped the screen and then the message icon and a text from Owen appeared..._

__**It was just Dementors. It's all cool, I totally took care of it.** _ _

Zach face-palmed and smiled, thinking about how in a few months he could be living with that giant nerd. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo Danny and Jackson from Teen Wolf make an appearance in this one and might make more. I used to watch Teen Wolf but stopped after the Season with the Berserkers because of the way the fans were getting mental-hospital-bat-shit-crazy-mean-and-bullying and because the writing was starting to go to shit. I still ship Sterek, Scira, Erica/Boyd, Jackson/Danny, and Lydia/Sheriff Stilinski (which isn't really a ship but I love the idea of those two together, I don't know why).

A couple days later, Zach was sitting in the quad by the Campus library; laptop out, books open, highlighters giving off day-glo realness, and notebooks filled with anything he thought might be on the test coming up a week after they got back from the wedding. 

Although he was working on school-work physically, his mind wasn't in it. His mind was on Owen and the apartment and he started absent-mindedly tapping his pen against his book. Wondering what it would be like living with someone who wasn't family.

What it would be like living with the man he planned on mating with?

If he would feel any differently about the Alpha after living with him for a few days or weeks or even months.

It was kind of scary to think about. Scary but good.

The Omega was aware of some things about the Alpha's living habits, but he was both curious and worried to learn about all of them. 

He knew how Owen loved to cuddle. Finding that out on the rare nights he had stayed overnight in Owen's hotel room. Often waking to the larger Alpha plastered on his back and his limbs wrapped around his body like an Octopus. Limbs so entangled that he usually had to wake the other man up just so he could get to the bathroom. 

The older man also liked to leave his wet towels on the floor and squeezed the toothpaste tube from the middle instead of the bottom. 

Zach stopped tapping his pen, it hovered in the air as an important thought struck him, _Did Owen go over or under for the toilet paper?_

He didn't know if he could live with someone again who liked it over.

Gray liked it over and many a battle had commenced over toilet paper etiquette in their shared bathroom over the years. It had gotten so ridiculous that once Gray had decided to hide all the toilet paper and refused to let Zach have any until he declared 'Over' was the best way to hang your toilet paper. Zach had hung him _over_ the toilet and threatened him with a swirly in retaliation, getting his younger brother to give in. He had won that battle but not the war. 

His text alert broke him out of his thoughts and he fished his phone out of his pocket. 

_I see you._

Zach smiled and looked up, his eyes moving quickly over the people in the quad, looking for Owen. He didn't see him anywhere and made to turn around and check behind him, but before he could Owen's big, familiar hands covered his eyes and a voice whispered in his ear, "Guess who?"

Zach smirked playfully, "Well, let's see, it can't be my mate because he's not supposed to be in town for another day. So it's obviously my other handsome boyfriend...Chris Pratt."

He felt a little growl go through Owen's chest before the hands were removed and his Alpha straddled the bench next to him. "I'm way sexier than that pretty boy."

"I don't know, he's pretty attractive and funny and he's got this amazing ass-mph!" Zach was pulled forward by his shirt suddenly and Owens lips captured his, his eyes closing as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss with his Alpha. Owen's tongue snuck into his mouth, mapping out the inside like he was searching for lost treasure and a whimper was pulled from Zach's lips. The young Omega moved in closer, his hands landing on top of Owen's thighs to help hold him up as the other man devoured his mouth. The hand in his shirt eventually loosened and let go, moving up to the back of his head to thread fingers through dark brown hair and Owen's other hand cupping his cheek.

Someone far off wolf whistled and hollered at them, "Get you some!" Zach pulled back with an embarrassed laugh and red cheeks, from the make-out session and cat-call in equal measure. Owen leaned back and smirked, the hand in his Omega's hair falling away but not the one on his cheek. 

"What were you saying about that no-name actor again?"

"I don't remember." Zach leaned forward, smile still on his lips, and quickly stole another kiss from his Alpha. 

"Good."

Zach moved so he was straddling the bench and facing Owen head on, "Why didn't you tell me you were coming today?"

"That's why it's called a surprise." The older man rubbed his thumb softly just under the Zach's eye, smiling at him.

"Yeah, yeah. How'd you even know I was here?"

Owen lifted his hand away from Zach's cheek and put it to his forehead, eyes closed and humming dramatically, "Psychic."

Zach's brown eyes rolled and he gave a slight push to the Alpha's shoulder. "Gray told you didn't he?"

Owen opened his eyes at the shove and smirked, "Nope. Believe it or not it was your dad. Your mom and Gray had a date with the dentist."

Zach quirked an eyebrow, "Really? My dad told you where I was?"

"I think he's actually starting to like me. He only maimed me with his eyes this time. Didn't set me ablaze for the deflowering of his son."

The Omega turned scarlet and this time punched Owen hard in the arm, "He doesn't even know that we...you know."

Owen snorted, "Believe me, he knows. The way he's been looking at me ever since that weekend tells me he is completely aware of what we got up to."

"Aw man." Zach leaned forward and rested his head against Owen's shoulder, "That is so embarrassing if he does."

Owen laughed and rubbed his hand down Zach's back, "So before I went to your house I called about that apartment. The guy who answered says it's still available and we may have an appointment to see it in an hour."

Zach looked up. "Really?!"

"Yup. So if you pack up your books we can go grab a bite to eat before we head over there."

Zach lunged forward again, hugging Owen and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. The older Alpha laughed as he watched his Omega grab up his bag and start stuffing his things away making a mess of it in his haste. 

They left Zach's little putt-putt car in the parking lot of the school and took Owen's rental to a nearby burger joint. After their lunch they made their way over to the neighborhood the apartment was in. Zach was watching the house numbers pass by, his eyes searching for the right house, "...158, 160, 162...there, 164 Newville." Owen parked on the street next behind a black Mercedes Benz. They took a minute and just sat in the car looking at the brick house, an 'Apartment for Rent' sign sitting in one of the two upper windows of the apartment they were there to look at. 

"Well, at least the outside looks like the pictures."

"What? Were you expecting an old dilapidated house with some creepy guy just trying to lure people to his home to murder them?"

Zach's cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment, "Kind of. I mean, they still haven't caught that guy who is attacking Omegas."

Owen chuckled and grabbed up Zach's left hand, "You know that's one of the reasons I wanted you to wait until I got here to see the place. Wanted to make sure everything was on the up and up."

"So I'm justifiably paranoid."

"Completely. Now let's go check this bad boy out."

Owen let go of Zach's hand for the few minutes it took them to get out of the car and meet by the walk-up before he grabbed up the younger man's hand again. They made their way up to the house and then Owen pulled Zach over to the stairs, "The guy said we should meet him upstairs."

They walked up the stairs and Owen knocked on the door with his knuckles, "We're a little early so he might not-"

The door whipped open and a rather tall, pregnant Hawaiian man in his thirties appeared, a smile on his face, "You must be Mr. Grady." He looked at Zach, "...and you must be Mr. Grady's mate that he spoke of." The darker-skinned man turned and shouted behind him, "I told you there was nothing to worry about Jackson."

Owen smirked over at Zach as someone shouted back from inside the apartment, "You're 5 months pregnant Danny! I can damn well worry if I want to!" A shorter blonde man came to the door and wrapped an arm around the Omega's waist. Palm resting on the curve of the other man's belly. He was about the same age as his pregnant mate but was more the sharp GQ model lines and harsh glares type. His blue eyes looked over Owen and Zach suspiciously before he grunted and nodded his head at them. "They look alright. Go on and show 'em the place."

Danny rolled his eyes, "You're so gracious thank you." He looked at Zach and winked, "Alphas, am I right?"

Zach chuckled, "I plead the fifth."

Danny gave a chuckle as well, "Smart man." He held the door open for them, "Come on in and check it out. I hope the pictures do it justice."

Zach pulled Owen into the apartment behind him, a little awestruck because it was actually bigger on the inside than what he thought. "This is great. It looks better than the pictures! They make the space look smaller than it is."

"Just the angle the photographer used probably." Danny said and smiled at Jackson, the other man grumbling something under his breath.

Zach nodded absently as he moved into the apartment, Owen let Zach's hand slip from his and he watched as his Omega went around the room. The younger man's smile only getting bigger the more he looked about. He opened all the cupboards and then opened the appliances to check them out. He sat on the couch, sighing as he sunk into the cushions. He loved that it was cushier than it looked. He turned on the TV and flipped through a few channels, making sure it worked. Then he moved to the bed and plopped down on it, giving a few bounces. "Queen size?"

"Yup and brand new. All the other appliances and furniture was used by the last tenant though."

"Nice." He noticed what had to be the bathroom door and went to go check it out. The picture he had seen of the bathroom seemed cramped but he was pleased to see it was nice and had a good amount of space inside so he wouldn't be getting out of the shower only to step into the toilet. 

He walked out of the bathroom and went to one of the windows and smiled, "I love it. It's just big enough and it's close to my school, work, and family."

Danny, who was sitting on one of the bar-stools while Jackson rubbed at his lower back, smiled and rubbed his hand over his protruding belly, "I'm glad you like it. Everyone else who's looked at it thinks it's too cramped. It's been on the market for a while, but we only just put it online hoping to branch out."

"I think it's perfectly cozy." He looked over at Owen and then glanced at Danny's baby-bump, "Just the right size for right now."

Owen didn't miss the lingering look and he suddenly really needed the other couple to leave. The dominate part of him needing to take his younger mate and give him everything he wanted, starting with a pup. He even moved across the room and grabbed Zach around the waist, one of his hands resting low on Zach's belly where their children would eventually grow. He missed the embarrassed look Zach threw over his shoulder at the other couple and the start of a blush to appear on the Omega's cheeks but he heard the quiet questioning, "Owen?"

That's when the older Alpha realized he had started softly growling, almost purring, one of Zach's hands resting over the one on his stomach. He took a few breaths, put his head in the crook of Zach's neck, breathing in the scent he found there and said, "Sorry...I'm sorry. Didn't even realize I was doing it. I just..." He shook his head slightly and looked over at the realtor and his mate, "Yeah, sorry, so is there anything we should know about before we decide to sign on the dotted line. Ghosts and sh--Jackson narrowed his eyes--tuff like that?"

Danny laughed and shook his head, "Not really. No one's died here so I promise no ghosts or hauntings. There's an older widowed Alpha that lives on the floor below you. She's the nicest lady. Probably waiting to see if you take the apartment before baking you something. Then there's a Beta in the basement apartment. He's kind of an odd duck, but seems harmless. You'll probably never meet him because he keeps odd hours. Rent is due at the end of the month, amenities are included. Only one pet allowed and i'll need an extra $300 deposit for that if you decide to get one."

Zach smiled at that. He could finally get a dog. 

"How long is the lease?" Owen asked, turning their joined bodies to face the other couple.

"Month to month. The landlord likes it that way. Says it's easier for him than having the hassle of dealing with, and I quote, 'stupid people who break their lease'." Danny gave the side-eye over to Jackson and smirked, "The landlord is pretty nice though. He's an Alpha and he seems all grumpy and holier-than-thou at first but he's quick to take care of any problems so you won't have to worry if something breaks. He usually gets someone out to look at it the next day. He even put that security door up for the last renter without asking."

"Really?"

Zach missed Jackson's hint of a blush, but Owen didn't and he smirked over at the blonde.

"Yup. You know that guy they're still looking for? The one attacking Omegas living alone?"

Zach nodded and ran his hand over Owens as the other man's arm twitched and held him just a bit tighter.

"Well, the last renter who had this apartment was an unmated Omega and I hear the Landlord was totally gone over him the first time he saw him. After the first two attacks happened the landlord had a security door put up."

Jackson cleared his throat, "There's a security door on all the doors. Not just this one. You're just reading too much into it, babe."

Danny rolled his eyes and turned to Jackson, "Now there are, but not for a week after this one was put on...You still won't admit it will you?"

"No idea what you're talking about." 

Zach's eyes widened, finally realizing what Owen had, and then he smiled and gave Danny a look, "You were right. Alphas." 

Danny laughed and Jackson scowled, "If you two are done then maybe we can continue on with business?"

"Honey?"

"Yeah?"

Danny kissed Jackson cheek, "Shut up."

"Whatever." Jackson sulked and grabbed a folder off of the counter, "So are you taking it or what?"

Owen's arms around Zach's waist tightened, "We're taking it."

The blonde Alpha made whoop-de-doo motion with his finger, "Great." 

Danny reached over as best he could and pinched Jackson's arm, "Be nice."

"Yeah yeah. Here." He pulled out a sheaf of papers and laid them out on the counter and then pulled a pen out of his jacket pocket, placing it next to one of the papers. 

Danny moved off the bar stool to give the others room to look over the paperwork, his hand on his lower back rubbing into the aching muscle. 

"Are you okay?" Zach asked, eyeing the way the other Omega cringed a bit as he rubbed the spot. 

"Yeah. This is the one thing I don't enjoy about being pregnant. The aches...well, and at the beginning with the morning sickness."

Jackson snorted. Danny ignored him.

Owen smirked at the play by play of the mated pair. Knowing that that would more than likely end up being him and Zach in 5 years. Mated with a house and a kid on the way. His eyes became unseeing on the papers in front of him as he imagined a nice big house with a yard and maybe a dog running around; definitely a cat though. Working on one of his many motorcycles in the driveway. Getting yelled at by a pregnant Zach for forgetting to pick up whatever it was he was craving.

It was a beautiful image and Owen knew he had never wanted anything more than for that to become his future. Zach moved over to Owens side and the older man reached over and pulled Zach to him, kissing his Omega's cheek. His eyes bright and happy, "Let's get this paperwork done for and then go enjoy the rest of our day."

Zach smiled down at him and helped fill out the information so it was done quicker than normal. Owen signing his name next to Zach's with a bit of a flourish and roguish smile.

Danny took the papers and "We just have to wait until the credit report comes back and that'll be in a day or so and then as soon as that's done with we'll give you a call and you can come get the keys, pay the security deposit and first month's rent. Then you guys can start moving in whenever."

" _If_ they pass the credit check. Keyword babe."

Danny sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Ignore him and please don't judge me based on this veritable joy of a person."

That, apparently, was the thing that got Jackson started off and Zach smiled over at Owen as they followed behind the bickering couple and down the stairs. The mated pair only stopping long enough to say goodbye to Zach and Owen and that they would get back to them soon. Jackson helping Danny into the Mercedes still arguing, before he got into the drivers side and drove off.

Once they were back in the rental Zach leaned over the arm rest and kissed his Alpha on the mouth, taking Owen by surprise. Zach lingered, savoring the kiss for a minute before pulling away and smiling at the older man before getting himself hooked in. Ready and waiting to leave, Zach noticed out of the corner of his eye Owen was still facing him, so he turned and smiled. "Well, I'm ready when you are."

Owen's lips twitched up and he hooked his own seat-belt and started the car, "Where to?"

"Anywhere and everywhere."

The older man gave him another bright smile, his eyes crinkling in happiness as he pulled away from the curb and drove away. His hand reaching for Zach's and his fingers twining with his Omega's.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Wedding (really, the reception) and maybe someone finally says those three words. Out loud. To the other. Because Finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song is Aquaman by Walk The Moon. Seriously those guys are adorable and have some of the best songs.

The wedding had been beautiful and the Brides even more so, both of them wearing white dresses and dazzling smiles. The ceremony filled with laughs, tears, and kisses while both read their own vows to the other. Zach was most surprised however when after the toasts Zara and Mikayla made another toast, to him and Gray. Both Brides on the verge of crying as they told the guests of how there wouldn't even be a wedding if Zach and Gray hadn't saved Zara. Mikayla had even run over and given them hugs and kisses for protecting her Mate when she couldn't. It was a little embarrassing but wonderful that they would do that in a room full of their loved ones. Not long afterwards they had the first dance and then served dinner. Once everyone had been served they opened up the dance floor to anyone who wanted to bust a move. Owen had immediately been snatched up by Mikayla's grandmother for a dance, the older woman's hand's wandering on occasion as they danced to one of the first slow songs of the night. Zach had to hide his laughter as Owen would send him scandalized looks from over the blue-haired Beta's head.

Zach had been asked a few times, but he was happy to just sit and watch the others have fun, especially Owen. So far, anyone who had asked had gotten a spin around the dance floor; Alphas, Betas, and Omegas all came over hoping for a go. He didn't mind because after every dance Owen came back over to the table and took a mini-breather, making sure Zach was okay and to see if he needed anything. It was never too long though before someone else came up and asked for a dance. Zach smirked as Owen plopped down into his seat next to him after finishing dancing with an overenthusiastic young Alpha, his face a bit red from exertion. 

"You're the bell of the ball. I thought that was the Brides job?" Zach said.

"What can I say? I'm irresistible, I can't help it." Owen gave him a wink and then took a long pull from his water glass. 

"What do you think of Claire's dress?"

Owen looked around to make sure Claire wasn't behind him or nearby and he smiled at Zach. "You mean that lovely dress that is extremely flattering on her but yellow? Oh yeah, she is going to donate that dress as soon as she can to some kind of charity. Maybe even just give it to the raptors to play with. She did not look happy in it. Man, I don't think I've ever seen her in anything but varying degrees of cream and off-whites."

Zach laughed, "She did try to hide her distaste for it."

"Yeah, but not very well." 

"Mom, please stop!"

Owen and Zach turned their heads at the shout and tried, but failed, not to laugh at Karen dragging Gray around the dance floor as he tried to unsuccessfully turn away from her. Dancing couples were laughing and smiling as well, watching as the young Beta tried to get away from his mother and her attempt at dancing. Gray's face was red from embarrassment and they could tell that he was regretting saying yes when his mother had asked him for a dance. 

Owen turned to Zach, "It's been three songs at least. I think you should go and save him."

Zach gave his Alpha a clear look of _you've got to be joking_.

"He'll owe you one if you do."

"He already owes me." 

"You're a horrible older brother." Owen said with a smile.

"I know. It keeps me awake at night."

A blur ran past and suddenly Gray was there, sitting in his seat and panting, face red and hair mussed, "I am never dancing with mom again."

"How did you even escape little man?"

Gray nodded his head over at the dance floor, "Aunt Claire saved me."

Hazel and brown eyes were quick to look out over the floor and sure enough, poor Claire was now being twirled around by her older sister. Her face making funny twitching motions with every jostle and bump that Karen liked to call dancing.

"This is amazing." Owen took his cell out and proceeded to record what he could before the song ended. "I needed this in my life, I just didn't know it until now."

When the song ended, Claire moved away and back to the head table while Karen made her way back over to their table, still dancing and smiling. She grabbed her wine and took a sip, smiling at her sons and Owen, "I forgot how much fun weddings are!" 

"For who?" Gray mumbled under his breath.

Zach couldn't stop the chuckle from escaping him and Gray narrowed his eyes over at his brother, "Hey Mom, Zach hasn't danced yet."

Karen's eyes lit up in a twinkle as Zach's went wide in distress, his mouth opened, ready with some reason as to why he couldn't dance with her when his hand was grabbed and he was suddenly pulled out of his chair. "Sorry, but Zach promised this dance to me. I'll hand him off to you when I'm done." Owen winked over at Karen and her pouting face, "Promise."

Owen led them out onto the dance floor and took up the lead as the DJ started to play a slower song. He pulled Zach as close as he could get him with clothes in the way and smiled down at him, "You're welcome."

"I guess I owe you one now, huh."

"Yup."

"I'm sure I'll regret it, but what would you like in return for rescuing me?"

"I'm offended that you would think it would be something worth regretting."

"You telling me that it isn't going to be something sexual in some way."

"Nope. Completely innocent, but thanks for thinking sex with me is a regret."

Zach's face turned red and he sputtered, "You know what I meant!"

"I know." Owen laughed and kissed Zach's heated cheek before whispering in the younger man's ear, "If it leads to sex though, that isn't something that I can help."

Zach laughed and smiled up at his mate, "I knew it. Alright, lay it on me."

Owen feigned shock and gasped, "Here in public! Zach I never thought that you-" Zach clamped a hand over his mouth. The Omega's eyes wide as he glanced around to see if anyone had heard but everyone was too busy in their own worlds. "I didn't mean that! Ridiculous. " He slowly removed his hand from Owens mouth and clarified, "What would you like for me to do in return after you so valiantly rescued me from the rhythm-less clutches of my mother?"

Owen smiled, "Way to rephrase. I want you to go and request any song you'd like from the DJ and dance with me."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Any song?"

"Completely up to you. I will even rock out to New Kids On The Block with you if you want."

"Who?" Zach asked bewildered.

Owen chuckled and kissed his lips before pushing Zach away in the direction of the DJ. "Go on. Any song you want."

Zach looked at him skeptically, "Okay. I'll be back." On his way over he thought about picking the most ridiculous song he knew but then he stopped. It wouldn't really embarrass Owen because the man was frankly unable to be embarrassed and besides his Alpha would probably expect it. So maybe he should take a minute and actually think of a song that meant something more. 

Zach paused and leaned against the wall by the booth and took a moment to think of a song that best showed how he felt about Owen. How he felt about them. He thought about meeting Owen for the first time and then prom and how Owen had pretty much taken over the music and danced with him all night. How Owen made him feel when he was with him and when he was gone. How this was the first time he was so open with someone and how it felt to be completely comfortable with someone in all aspects of a relationship and suddenly Zach knew what song he wanted to request.

Owen was standing by himself near the bar, just watching everyone enjoy themselves when Zach came walking back to him and grabbed his wrist; leading them both outside to the patio area. Owen had barely had time to smile at the younger man before he was ushered away. They walked down a ways from the double doors they had exited from and stopped just outside a set of windows. Zach turned and faced him and Owen saw a determined look about the younger man in his eyes. Something big was going on in that brain and Owen was eager to know what it was.

"Desperate to get me all to yourself, huh." Owen smiled at his younger Mate.

Zach's lips twitched up lightly, "Maybe I just wanted to be alone with you for our dance. Away from eyes of the family and strangers variety."

"Oh. Did you choose a naughty song Zach?" The Alpha reached forward and grabbed his Omega's hips and pulled the younger man against him, "Plan on dancing dirty?"

A nice little flush came over his cheeks and Zach leaned forward and gave Owen a quick kiss, "Later in the hotel room, definitely, but not right now."

"So I am getting lucky later. Nice."

The chords of a slightly more upbeat song but still slow, floated out and Zach gave Owen a soft look and held out his hand, palm up, "Dance with me?"

"Hell yeah, babe." Owen smiled and took his Mate's hand, putting his other on the back of Zach's neck instead of his shoulder as Zach's other hand took up place on the small of Owen's back. A rich voice came over the speakers and drifted out to them as Zach swayed them slightly to the beat.

**_"The real life love is under the mirror of the surface, So cut my cord I want to know how deep we can take it..."_ **

He was a little surprised; honestly Owen thought that maybe Zach would have picked some weird booty shaking song that would counter as inhumane for listening, but that is not what had happened. Even though he had no idea who this was, considering most of his musical choices revolved around bands from the seventies, eighties, and nineties, Owen paid attention to the lyrics while his Mate lead.

**_"You gotta risk your neck, know in your heart it will be worth it"_ **

Zach's hand tightened around his own before the Omega let go and wrapped it around the Alpha's waist, hugging him around the middle. Owen moved closer, chest to chest, and hugged Zach around his shoulders. His other hand still behind the Omega's neck, fingers casually twirling in Zach's hair. They moved together seamlessly in a slow, lazy circle.

**_"It's been my fashion to keep my head dry and get my feet wet, Step by step I've been letting you lead me towards the deep end"_ **

Owen smiled and kissed the top of Zach's forehead, before leaning forward and pressing his cheek against the top of his head, soft brown hair brushing against his rougher face as they danced. His Omega's scent filled up, drowning Owen in the arousing scent..

**_"Well I learned my lesson, honey, Just when you think you're all adult swim, Is precisely when somebody shows you to the ocean"_ **

Zach looked up, his eyes slightly watery but bright, a small lilt to his lips and Owen was stuck for a minute with how handsome he was just in that moment. He opened his mouth to tell his lover so, but Zach leaned forward and caught up his lips, kissing him and pushing him back until Owen's back hit the wall of the hotel. 

Zach pulled away and looked up at Owen determined, "You don't get to say it before me."

"Say what?" 

There was a long pause before Zach hugged Owen's waist tighter and his eyes shining, "I love you." The younger man smiled softly and said it again, "I love you Owen Grady."

**_"Head first into the water, And so it hits me, I guess we could breathe all along"_ **

They had spelled them, hinted, and thought the words, but never said them outright and to hear them come first from the beautiful lips of his Omega made Owen's heart swell and pound in a staccato that could have matched the beat of the song playing. Eyes wide and mouth open, but nothing came out, instead Owen surged forward and kissed Zach, his arms snapping around the younger man, bending him back as he stole the air from Zach's lungs and the words from his tongue. After half a minute he pulled away, just a hairsbreadth, staring into Zach's eyes he said, "I love you. I will for the rest of my life." Zach barely had time to smile before Owen swept back in tasting his lips, taking his time and savoring the feeling of the moment and the flavor that was purely Zach.

They stayed like that, kissing outside the hotel while the song faded out...

**_"And all I know is I wanna be here with you from now on..."_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, I hope you enjoyed it because I did enjoy writing it. I plan on writing more for these guys, but it might be a while. Hope this will do until then. :)


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